Champions League draw revealed

IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore will feature in the first game of the inaugural Champions League Twenty20

The inaugural Champions League Twenty20 will begin with a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore of India and Cape Cobras of South Africa, it was confirmed after the draw was made this morning.

The two teams have been drawn in Group C alongside Otago Volts of New Zealand, in the new tournament, which is designed to bring the 12 leading domestic Twenty20 sides together in India later this year, playing for a bumper prize fund of US dollars 6million (£3.6million).

Deccan Chargers, the Indian Premier League champions, were drawn in Group A with Trinidad & Tobago and an as yet unknown team from England, where the domestic Twenty20 finals are yet to be played.

Group B is composed of NSW Blues of Australia, Diamond Eagles of South Africa and one other team from England.

Delhi Daredevils of India, Victorian Bushrangers of Australia and Sri Lanka’s Wayamba make up Group D.

The new tournament will begin on October 8 with a total of 23 games packed into 16 days, culminating in the final on October 23.

Lalit Modi, the IPL boss who is also the chairman of the new tournament, said: "The Champions League Twenty20 is the perfect tournament to crown the best of the best in domestic Twenty20 cricket worldwide and will capture the imagination of the sporting public around the world.

“It is set to provide domestic cricketers with the ultimate talent showcase, one which I am certain will inspire and motivate future generations of club, state and county cricketers, while accelerating the development of the game globally and the careers of those involved.”